UN General Secretary: Africa’s exclusion from UN Security Council ‘indefensible’

UN General Secretary: Africa’s exclusion from UN Security Council ‘indefensible’
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UN chief Antonio Guterres told African leaders on Saturday that the continent’s lack of permanent representation on the UN Security Council is “indefensible,” urging long-delayed global reforms as the African Union opened its annual summit.

Guterres also called for urgent action to end conflicts across the continent, including an immediate ceasefire in Sudan and renewed commitments to halt fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

At the same time, leaders placed strong emphasis on water security, the official theme of this year’s summit, warning that climate pressures and resource scarcity are increasingly linked to instability.

Outgoing AU Chairperson Joao Lourenco said African nations meet at a moment of global transition and must move from reacting to crises to shaping international agendas.

AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf framed water as both a development and security issue, calling it “our continental wealth” that must be used to promote peace and stability.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed noted that water is “more than a resource; it is the foundation of development, innovation, and stability,” and can become an engine of peace when managed cooperatively.

The two-day gathering is also expected to review major security crises across Africa, including Sudan, the Sahel region, and Somalia, alongside discussions on climate action, economic reform, and institutional strengthening.